


sharper than a serpent's tooth (and sweeter than honeydukes)

by sunset_oasis



Series: Drabbles of the Black Widow [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU where they are about the same age, F/M, Tom works at Borgin and Burkes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 17:00:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10575627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunset_oasis/pseuds/sunset_oasis
Summary: “Tom,” she drawled, a pretty smirk on her small, sugarplum-like lips, “how’s the world domination schedule coming through?”“One step at a time,” he replied smoothly and asked, “how’s your newest husband?”“One step at a time,” she mimicked, a hint of an amused, but also dangerous smile on her face, “towards death."





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.  
> A/N: I'm beginning to enjoy writing about Blaise's mother so much ....

Tom was reading a book on Horcruxes (the book cover charmed to look more innocuous than it really was, of course), when Gabriella Zabini entered Borgin and Burkes that day.  Unconsciously, his lips quirked upwards into a small smile as the beautiful woman gracefully pushed open the door and walked into the shop in heels that were ridiculously high.  Tom Riddle, despite being intelligent and mastered a great number of spells, never understood how could anyone walked in _those_.

She was, like, the most … _aesthetically pleasing_ woman he’d ever met, he supposed. Her dark skin was smooth and perfect, without a single blemish, and she had a soft, sweet smile on her face that would probably make most men drool – Tom was proud to say that he was _not_ most men, though even he couldn’t deny she did look … what was the term again, oh yes, _aesthetically pleasing_ – but he knew that the sweetness was fake and how lethal this woman really was.

She tilted her head and glanced around the shop in a seemingly casual and disinterested manner, but he recognized the underlying sharpness in her eyes that probably everyone else would miss.  Talented actress, he’d give her that.  She took out her wand, gave a lazy wave to change the ‘open’ sign at the front of the shop to ‘close’ without looking back, and easily set up some protection charms, before sitting down in front of him.  The previously soft, sweet smile very, very subtly turned into a sharper, more feral one.

Tom never told her, but he always thought it added to her beauty even more.

“Tom,” she drawled, a pretty smirk on her small, sugarplum-like lips, “how’s the world domination schedule coming through?”

“One step at a time,” he replied smoothly and asked, “how’s your newest husband?”

“One step at a time,” she mimicked, a hint of an amused, but also dangerous smile on her face, “towards death – I give it another two weeks, tops. I’m testing out the new potion you gave me last time.”

“I hope you remember our agreement, I’ll want a specific report of all his symptoms during these few weeks,” Tom reminded her.

“Of course,” she murmured lazily, and leant closer to him. “Anything for you, My Lord. I live to serve.”

He felt his breath stopped for just the _tiniest_ moment at that. Merlin, it felt … almost like electric running through him as one of most beautiful women on this side of the Equator called him ‘My Lord’.  She’d always known what buttons to push in everyone to get the reactions she wanted. He recovered himself quickly, raising an eyebrow at her, “Very humorous.” But he knew she noticed the brief moment where he was affected.

She laughed, a sweet sound that rang like bells through the shop, “Ooooh, very good, Tom.  You’re getting better at this resisting the beautiful ladies thing.”

Slightly annoyed, he narrowed his eyes at her, “Don’t patronize me.”

She smiled, elegant and _disarming_ and _amused_ at the same time, “Wouldn’t dare.” After just the right amount of pause, she added, with a smile, “My Lord.”

If Tom Riddle was the type to shudder – which he _wasn’t_ , thank you very much – he probably would have as the words ‘my lord’ rolled off her tongue the way it did, sexy and sly.  While he definitely didn’t _love_ Gabriella Zabini, because he didn’t do _love_ , for Merlin’s sake – it was for the weak people – he did _like_ her, her intelligence, her beauty.  He enjoyed occasionally cooperating with her, she was an unusual ally but definitely a helpful one in certain areas, and they knew of each other’s secrets, to an extent.

And it was quite annoying at times to be distracted by her beauty, particularly for a great Occulmens like himself.  He should be above emotions, above feelings – even if it wasn’t love – above all those frivolous things.  It was okay to enjoy working with a useful and intelligent woman, but it was _not okay_ to be … affected by her beauty, her charm – and her knowledge of just what might turn him on.

Still, he couldn’t help it sometimes slipped through.  Though he did manage to regain control of it quickly afterwards – he was _Tom Riddle_ , after all.

“Right,” he said, rolling his eyes and easing back into his normal self, and decided to change the subject. “You got that information on Rufus Scrimgeour and Alastor Moody I wanted?”

“Of course,” she said briskly, back to a business tone as she rummaged through her purse, and took out some notes. Tom would never admit it, but he felt relieved because he didn’t know if he could deal with her in her all-too-charming-and-seductive mode too long.  They discussed the Ministry secrets she brought for a while, until she had to leave for a dinner with her circle of high society ladies.  He gave her a collection of poison as thanks.

“Pleasure doing business with you as always, Tom,” she drawled.

He smirked back easily, “Likewise.”

But then her eyes flashed shrewdly and mischievously for a moment, and she purred, “Until next time then, _My Lord_.”  With one last dazzling smile, she glided out of the shop, quick and graceful.

Tom blinked, licked his lips without realizing it, and a sinking feeling in his stomach told him that he was way deeper in than he’d ever planned to be.

 

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr: ff-sunset-oasis.tumblr.com


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